Life Plan Devotion #74 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part II]

Hi, Everyone.
I asked the Lord to help me know how to proceed with the devotions on the Shield of Faith, the fourth piece of the Armor of God, and I believe He has directed me to focus on each part of the verse, Ephesians 6:16. I pray that will meet your needs, as the reader. Have a precious day.

Life Plan Devotion #74 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part II]

     Ephesians 6:16 says, "Above all, taking the shield of faith..." [New King James Version]. Today, let's focus on the phrase "Above all," and, by reading from various Bible translations, its meaning may be enhanced.
     "Above all" can simply mean "In addition to" [New International Version] or "Also use" [New Century Version]. Those phrases point to the Shield of Faith as being another piece (the fourth) of the Armor of God.
     "Above all" can mean "In all things" [Wycliffe New Testament]. "In all cir****tances" [English Standard Version], and "In every situation" [Holman Christian Standard Bible]. These phrases point to the importance of using the Shield of Faith at all times.
     "Above all" can also mean "Lift up over all" [Amplified Version]. This phrase shows that the Shield of Faith will protect all of the other pieces of armor, if used correctly.
     Take some time today to think about how you see your Shield of Faith. Is it simply another piece of God's Armor? Do you know how to use your Shield of Faith? Do you use your Shield of Faith seldom, sometimes, often, or always? 
     How you view and use your Shield of Faith will determine your level of victory or defeat in the spiritual battle in which you're engaged on a daily basis. In order to improve your results, you must first take an honest look at yourself as a Christian soldier and evaluate how well you're using the tools given to you by your commander, God.

I Thessalonians 3:10
"Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith" [NLT].

What this has to do with weight loss: When there are gaps in your knowledge of what to do when you are in a weight-loss stall or are experiencing even a minor post-surgery complication, you will feel confusion and frustration. The same thing happens when there are gaps in your faith. Others are praying for you. Allow them to help you "fill in the gaps," in whatever areas are lacking.

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, when I came to You, in faith, believing in You and the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, I was given a most wonderful gift, salvation. Along with that gift, I was given faith to live the Christian life and to 'fight the good fight of faith.' I want to use every tool You've given to me, Lord, and I want to use them well. Help me to see any gaps in how I view or use faith, for that can make the difference between victory and defeat. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen."

Go forth today, determined to identify and close up any faith gaps.

Blessings,
Mary